Incumbent: The election will fill the Senate seat currently held by Mike Enzi (R). Enzi was first elected in 1996.

Race background

The primary battle between Liz Cheney and incumbent Mike Enzi was pinpointed as one of the top five primaries to watch in 2014, with Cheney, and her father, openly feuding with Enzi.[3]

Primary vulnerability

Enzi was named by National Journal as one of the top five incumbent senators at risk of losing his or her primary election. Four of the five most vulnerable senators were Republican.[4]

Candidates

Note: Prior to the signature filing deadline, candidates will be added when Ballotpedia writers come across declared candidates. If you see a name of a candidate who is missing, please email us and we will add that name. As the election draws closer, more information will be added to this page.

Issues

Same-sex marriage

Mary Cheney, the younger sister of Liz Cheney, sharply criticized her sister’s stance on same-sex marriage and urged her own Facebook friends to share the message.[14][15][16]

Posting on Facebook on August 30, 2013, Mary Cheney, who is gay and married her longtime partner in 2012, wrote: “For the record, I love my sister, but she is dead wrong on the issue of marriage.”[14]

Their father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, supports same-sex marriage, and the younger Cheney echoed some of his language on the issue when she added, “Freedom means freedom for everyone...That means that all families — regardless of how they look or how they are made — all families are entitled to the same rights, privileges and protections as every other,” Mary Cheney wrote.[14]

Earlier on August 30, 2013, Liz Cheney revealed her position on same-sex marriage, a topic she has kept relatively quiet about since declaring her candidacy in July 2013 against incumbent Mike Enzi. “I am not pro-gay marriage,” Liz Cheney said in a statement responding to poll against her in Wyoming. “I believe the issue of marriage must be decided by the states, and by the people in the states, not by judges and not even by legislators, but by the people themselves.”[14]

That position — deferring to the will of the voters on a state-by-state basis — may represent something of a compromise between total support or opposition, but did little to placate her sister.[14]

“It’s not something to be decided by a show of hands,” Mary Cheney wrote. Mary Cheney concluded her Facebook post: “Please like and share if you agree.” In an e-mail, Mary Cheney declined to comment further on her sister’s position, saying she would let her Facebook post speak for itself.[14]

Wyoming Fishing License

Liz Cheney came under fire in August 2013 for purchasing a resident fishing license in Wyoming, when she did not qualify.[17]Wyoming resident fishing licenses require the holder to reside in Wyoming for at least one year.[17] Cheney did not meet that requirement. She posted a $220 bond and appeared in court on August 27, 2013, to address a charge of making a false statement to obtain a license. Cheney claimed she was not aware of the year requirement, but her application for the license says she had resided in Wyoming the last 10 years. Cheney denies telling the clerk the residency claim that appeared on the application.[17]

Fishing is a popular sport in Wyoming and the charge reflects poorly on Cheney according to Wyoming Republican strategist, Liz Brimmer. Brimmer said, “Allegedly poaching in a state where being a resident sportsman is, by law, an earned privilege. Wyoming people will take this very seriously.”[17]

Health care

In August 2013, Liz Cheney called on Mike Enzi, among other congressional members, to renounce the agreement allowing the government to subsidize part of the health care premiums for Congressional members and their staff. "The hypocrisy is stunning...But all too typical of how Congress works. Members cut special deals for themselves so they don’t feel the pain their laws inflict on the general public. That’s one of the reasons I’m running for the Senate — to end this self-serving, behind the scenes deal-making." Enzi's campaign spokesperson responded, "Senator Enzi has already opposed it and the other exemptions and delays for businesses, insurance companies etc. Senator Enzi will continue his efforts to defund and dismantle Obamacare. He’ll make decisions about his own health care without help from candidate Cheney."[18]

Cheney's July 2013 video, "A Strong Voice for Wyoming."

Involvement in Syria

In September 2013, Liz Cheney called President Obama's desired involvement in Syria "an amateurish approach to national security and foreign policy." She continued by confirming that she would not vote to authorize intervention in Syria.[19]

According to a report by The Hill in September 2013, Cheney was among four Republican senate candidates who had come out against intervening in Syria while the incumbent challenger, in this case Enzi, remained undecided.[20]

Media

Endorsements

Republican primary

Liz Cheney

On Liz Cheney's campaign website, an endorsement from Rush Limbaugh was posted, saying, “I’ve known you for many, many years. Throughout the entire time I’ve known you, you haven’t changed. Your conservatism has been consistent and solid and in fact, it may have even gotten stronger. ...We need about 95 more of you.”[22]

Mike Enzi

Sen. Rand Paul said that he endorses Enzi over Liz Cheney, citing unfamiliarity with Cheney's political positions. Paul went on to say, "I am a friend of Sen. Enzi and while we aren’t exactly the same, I consider him a good conservative."[23]

Sen. Jerry Moran, the National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman announced the official party body will support Enzi and several Senators have followed suit, including Wyoming Senator John Barrasso. Enzi has not been aggressively fundraising as the Senate race was expected to be safe. He raised $171,000 in the second quarter and ended June with $488,000 cash on hand.[24]

“I don’t know why in the world she’s doing this." Enzi is “honest and decent, hard-working; he’s got very important positions in the Senate. He’s highly respected. And these are all things that would cause anybody to say: ‘Why would anybody run against him?’”[27]

Sen John Cornyn is also throwing his support behind Enzi, although he likes Cheney as well. He reasoned:

“This is about getting the majority in the Senate. And we have to support our friends and people who have done a good job.”[27]

Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

A July 17-18, 2013, poll conducted by Harper Polling, found that WyomingRepublican voters favor Mike Enzi 55% to Liz Cheney's 21%.[28] The poll found that both candidates have near universal name recognition in the state. It also indicates Cheney faces an uphill battle for the seat, as incumbent Mike Enzi has a 73% approval rating.[28] 38% of those polled said that they had heard of Cheney, but had no opinion of her.[28]